By their own admission, Alan Merson and his wife, Kathy Bell, are living an unconventional version of the American dream in retirement.

Most notable for what it doesn't have: The couple's retirement doesn't include homes, cars or other accumulated possessions that don't fit neatly into a small box. Nor do they aspire for a single, permanent street address in which to while away their senior years.

Representing an emerging trend of adventurous and nomadic "steamer trunk" seniors, the couple is unencumbered by possessions. They are using their freedom to choose where and how they want to live based on offerings that meet their needs.

They chose to retire in Charlotte, sight unseen, mostly through navigating the Internet, perusing walkability ratings, crime statistics, cultural offerings, ease of public transportation, affordability and other factors.

The couple moved in December from San Ramon de Alajuela, Costa Rica, where they sold their home, furnishings and car, into a furnished apartment in Charlotte's Fourth Ward.

Charlotte was not their initial retirement destination.

Both Merson, 65, and Bell, 59, are from New Jersey but met and married while living in Florida.

In 2006, eager to find an affordable quality of life in a warm climate with good health care options, the couple looked at retiring outside of the U.S., an option becoming more attractive to many.

After some research, the couple took a tour to the Central American nation of Costa Rica and liked it.

"There was an established expatriate community there," said Merson. "We were able to build a very affordable home and quickly settle into a comfortable lifestyle."

They moved to San Ramon, about 60 minutes west of San Jose, in 2007. The couple immersed themselves in the community of transplanted Americans, Canadians and Europeans who had settled there and became friends with the welcoming and warm native Costa Ricans.

"We had many wonderful experiences including building a house in a foreign country, but after almost five years we missed much of the infrastructure you can take for granted in the U.S.," said Bell, who noted roads, access to utilities and public transportation could be spotty at times.

So they sold their home in Costa Rica furnished and relocated to Charlotte with only two suitcases each of clothing. In addition, the couple had 20 small boxes of possessions, such as photos, books, papers and records, shipped to Charlotte.

"In total," said Bell, "What we shipped amounted to less than 2 cubic meters."

Ready for adventure

"We were ready for our next set of adventures," said Bell, a retired licensed mental health counselor. "We began compiling a list of communities in the States we had interest in living."

Merson, formerly a social worker and professor of social work at St. Leo University in Florida, concurred.

"We never lived in a center city environment before and found the concept of living without a car appealing. Walkability as measured by the website Walkscore ( www.walkscore .com ) was high for Charlotte city center, and the fact that Charlotte has a light rail and is expanding was also a big plus for us."

The couple wanted to be on the East Coast and close to friends and family in Florida and New Jersey. Merson has a son, daughter-in-law and grandchild in Florida. Both Merson and Bell have extended family in New Jersey.

Attractions of Charlotte

They had not been to Charlotte when they began their research in spring 2011. Major league sports teams, warm climate, a vibrant restaurant and cultural scene, affordable housing and access to quality health care were all items that topped the couple's list.

Others cities making their radar were Jacksonville, Orlando and St. Augustine in Florida; Wilmington, Del., and Savannah, Ga.

"One of the key components in helping us decide, said Merson, "was the ability to go online with Google Earth ( google.com/earth) and virtually walk the tree-lined streets of Fourth Ward. We knew we'd love it here and already we do."

Thousands of people move to the Charlotte area every year, and more than 500,000 in the last decade, said Erin Casullo Watkins of the Charlotte Chamber. The National Active Retirement Association ranked North Carolina fifth most popular retirement destination in 2009.

Forbes Magazine last year picked Charlotte as one of the top 16 places to retire. Charlotte was cited as having lower than average housing and living costs and abundant physicians as two of the most attractive characteristics. In their 2012 retiree guide, U.S. News & World Report also picked the QC as one of their best places to retire.

"Low cost of living, affordable housing stock, employment opportunities, climate, an international airport and the accessibility to both the beach and the mountains are just a few reasons why individuals choose Charlotte as their new home," said Watkins.

Life without a car

After just a few weeks in the city, the couple had taken in a Bobcats scrimmage, the Panthers' final home game, explored NoDa, hit Founders Hall for a holiday performance of the Bearsteins orchestra and discovered many of uptown's trendier cafes and bistros. They are regularly at the transportation center, where they are learning the navigational ropes.

"Our dogs love the parks uptown, and we feel like we can walk or get transportation to anywhere we need to go," said Bell, noting her biggest surprise was just how easy it is to get around without a car.

"We are the type of people who bloom where we are planted," Bell said. "Not having tons of possessions, a home or a car is actually quite liberating. Far from being a burden, the discovery of a new community is exciting and something we relish as we start another new chapter in our lives."